Six really mini breaks

Yes you canal: jet off for a short break in Amsterdam (Sylvain Sonnet)

1. Amsterdam: for canalside walks

Get there KLM flies from Heathrow at 5.10pm on Friday, arriving at Amsterdam Schiphol 80 minutes later (0871 231 0000, www.klm.com; from £99 return). EasyJet (0843 104 5000, www.easyjet.com) also flies from 11 UK airports, including Gatwick, Bristol and Liverpool. The train to the city centre takes 15 minutes (£3).

Stay Right next to central Dam Square, the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky looks like a garish business hotel from the outside, but has lovely pared-down bedrooms, sleek bathrooms and reasonable rates (00 31 20 554 9111, www.nh-hotels.com; doubles from £166, B&B).

Eat Amsterdam’s most exciting, intimate eating experience is at Balthazar’s Keuken, where Karin and Alain rustle up weekly menus in a former blacksmith’s workshop. A bottle of wine chosen to complement the week’s dishes…